A lot goes into saying just two words “GO GREEN”! But we seldom realise that what we really imply when we say this. I often think ‘what if the Global Warming term was not coined’ or ‘what if we didn’t have Climate Change as one of the prime concerns in G8 and G20 summits?’
It is true that the short-term thinkers are rewarded unfairly but the experience of creating cities such as Gurgaon where prime-farming land has been sacrificed for the construction of malls and office spaces has shown that this bargain does not give good returns in the future.
From the solid four months of hard winters that were extreme but natural, we have travelled to 2011 when we get a total of 20 days of winter which completely messes us up, leaves the young ones coughing and sneezing, the adults wrapping themselves in all kinds of wool and cloth to stay warm and the old people sitting in artificial heat rubbing their joints and counting their days.
Economically, generating nuclear energy isn’t exactly an expensive business but the fact that it is not yet very common makes it less competitive. Another factor that escalates costs is the fact that the opening of a lot of power plants often gets delayed due to some reason or the other.
Definition of global warming has been repeatedly elucidated in various news articles, books and publishing. Still it makes sense to add its description here before taking the discussion any further. Global warming refers to the continual increase in temperature of earth’s atmosphere. Greenhouse effect as it is most commonly known causes such heating of the earth. According to this phenomenon, the heat and light emitted by sun gets trapped on earth and is unable to escape the atmosphere resulting into incessant rise in temperature. This concept is very similar to heating up of a car on a hot summer afternoon.
Life has become relatively easier but all this technological advancements has incurred a cost. A cost that is not just high as far as the monetary value is concerned but has also led to various other serious implications. Some of the major current interconnected environmental issues include the much talked about climate change – global warming, melting of the glaciers and depletion of the ozone layer.
Human beings, animals and the environment form an integral part of the biosphere. Nature maintains balance through its own natural processes. If human beings disturb these processes, then it creates an imbalance in nature. As time is passing, our environment is becoming weaker. We are putting more pressure on the environment than it can sustain.
The climate negotiations have come to a stalemate mainly because of US not willing to ratify the Kyoto protocol and India‘s as well as China’s insistence of not accepting any legally binding agreements.(The Kyoto Protocol was founded on the principle of “common but differentiated responsibility” by placing heavier burdens on the developed countries. It comes to an end in 2012).
There is nothing that can parallel itself to the beauty of our mother nature. The emerald carpets that run across the planet and emanate tranquility to the mankind, their utterly picturesque perfection, the way the scorching rays of the sun come hurtling down to the surface and strike those canopies, painting the earth around in green and gold: All speak of serenity that mankind today yearns for and yet continues to plunder.
These words may sound depressing and create fear but can we run away from the reality? Gone are the days where lush green forests used to cover the beautiful planet, when the beautiful sparking rivers used to enchant a beholder, when the chirping of the birds was a poet’s delight, when we used to enjoy the chilly winter fog , the gentle warmth of the summer sun, the morning dew drops, the thunder showers……
